One of my favorite drinks is tea. No, not iced sweet tea - although it is quite scrumptious - but hot steeped leaves and herbs. I think I was in middle school when I first started drinking tea and I honestly wanted to try it because one of the books I was reading at the time mentioned it. How about that for some influencer marketing. Ever since then, it’s almost always been a staple in my pantry.

I started with green tea, which is mild enough in flavor that it was easy to get used to the taste. What was more challenging, was teaching myself to like black tea. I think someone gifted me a cinnamon flavored black tea for secret Santa during the very first Christmas at my job and that ultimately helped me get past the strong taste. I haven’t had that tea since, but my eyes are always peeled in case it’s not just a seasonal item. 

I’d have to say my favorite teas of all time are peppermint and lemon flavored teas. I tend not to drink them as often because I appreciate the caffeine factor of drinking black and green teas. Plus, I don’t want to be wasteful and have two boxes of tea that I only drink from time to time laying around. 

There’s one tea that I got from Trader Joe’s that has stuck with me for many years. I deeply enjoyed it, but only purchased one box. It was a reddish purplish color and smelled of flowers but had a sweet, light, airy taste. It was a pomegranate white tea with hibiscus flowers and lemongrass but I don’t think it had any caffeine. To date, that was my favorite tea that I’ve ever tried. I could drink it any time of the day and not get tired of it. 

I’m finishing up a box of mint flavored black tea that was pretty good. The black tea definitely overpowered the mint flavor a little but I still liked it. The next flavor I decided to try is a vanilla chai flavored black tea. Now, I’ve never had a chai flavored drink so I was definitely a little nervous, but I figured since I like vanilla flavors anyway, I’d be alright with the tea. I tried it yesterday evening and my assumption was correct. Definitely not what I imagined, but it was a really rich flavor that worked well together. 

The caffeine hit with tea isn’t the same as the jittery hit I get sometimes from drinking coffee. It’s more of a subtle, well balanced improvement in my concentration. I typically drink a cup right after my lunch break is over to help me get over the intense feelings of sleepiness I usually get. And as an extra perk, it usually warms me up when I’m in the cold office. 

Drinking tea, especially hot tea, is all about the experience for me. I enjoy opening my cabinet and picking the mug that fits my current mood best. I enjoy watching the crystal clear water change colors as the beverage steeps and I appreciate the warmth it provides when I’m feeling rather chilly. It’s easy to make a big batch or just some for a single serving since all you need is hot water. 

Back in college, walking to the water fountain for fresh, filtered water and then having to put it in the microwave for about 2 to 3 minutes was always a drag. Boiling water in a pot on the stove was even more of a drag and completely unfeasible unless I wanted to walk up a flight of stairs just for some hot water. Ever since I purchased a water kettle, the process has been significantly easier, quicker, and simpler. The kettle stays on the counter so all I have to do is fill it with water and turn it on.

One thing that I might start incorporating into my nightly routine is drinking some relaxing herbal tea like chamomile or the like as a nice easy way to close a busy day. Something that has no caffeine and promotes relaxing sleep. Maybe a lavender tea or just a basic sleepy time tea would work. 

Regardless of which variation I’m currently drinking, you can count on tea being an integral part of my daily drink diet. 

Signed, 

Jessica Marie